Sliver controlled stop motion actuating device



Sept. 6, 1955 J. M. ELLIO'I T ET AL 2,716,781

SLIVER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l A H INVENTORS:

JAMES M. [uwrr PICK 2 6265.

BY 'xrw- M ATTORNEY5.

Sept. 6, 1955 J. M. ELLIOTT ET AL 2,716,781

SLIVER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS'Z M40155 M. [L/OTT D/cK R. Gzzav.

film-M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1955 SLIV ER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION ACTUATIN G DEVICEJames M. Elliott and Dick R. Green, Raeford, N. C. Application March 2,1954, Serial No. 413,587

10 Claims. (Cl. 19-165) This invention relates to apparatus forautomatically stopping textile machinery in response to abnormalvariations in the tension or size of a moving strand or sliver oftextile material. The present stop motion actuating device isparticularly devised for use with pin drafting machines of a type suchas is manufactured by The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland 3, Ohio.However, the improved stop motion actuating device may be used with manyother types of machines, such as carding machines, drawing frames andthe like.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a sensitivemechanism for stopping a textile machine when the material beingprocessed thereby is either above or below a predetermined standard ofweight per given length.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved stopmotion actuating device for textile sliver processing machines whereinthe sliver passes through a trumpet and having means whereby, uponparting of the sliver or the weight of the sliver becoming below apredetermined standard of weight per unit length, the trumpet willcomplete a circuit to the stop motion of the textile machine forstopping the same and, moreover, upon the sliver being delivered intothe trumpet at a faster than normal rate such as to choke the trumpet,as would be the case when the material being delivered is above thepredetermined standard of weight per unit length, the trumpet will thenalso close a circuit to the stop motion of the machine for stopping thesame.

Many textile machines, particularly pin drafting machines, each processseveral strands of sliver simultaneously in the course of which each ofthe strands of sliver is delivered into a separate coiler or taken up ona separate roll. In such machines, it quite often happens that theprocessing mechanism for a particular strand of sliver is not used whileother sets of such processing devices are used on a particular machineand it is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide meansfor rendering the improved stop motion actuating device ineifective,when desired, so that it will not stop the machine when a particularstrand of sliver is not being passed therethrough and so that another orothers of similar stop motion actuating devices may be effective forstopping the machine upon the strand of sliver passing therethroughbecoming parted or varying either above or below a predeterminedstandard of weight per unit length.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic elevationshowing the preferred form of improved stop motion actuating deviceinterposed between a set of delivery rolls and a take-up mechanism witha strand of textile material passing therebetween;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front or discharge end elevation of the improvedstop motion actuating device removed from the textile machine showingthe parts thereof in the normal position occupied during which a strandof sliver of proper weight is passing through the trumpet thereof andlooking at the left-hand side of the device in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view looking at the left-hand side of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the stop motion actuating device recovedfrom the textile machine;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 55 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 66 in Figure 2, showing the trumpet in elevation and in theposition occupied thereby during normal operation of the machine;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 6, but showingthe trumpet in section and in the position occupied thereby upon thestrand of sliver being parted or unduly slackened and in which positionthe trumpet causes actuation of the conventional stop motion of thetextile machine;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but wherein the trumpet is shownin the position occupied thereby when the strand of sliver is fed intothe trumpet at a faster than normal rate or, in other words, when theweight of the strand of sliver per unit length is above thepredetermined standard;

Figure 9 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along line 9-9 inFigure 6 showing, in particular, the means for urging the trumpetrearwardly or away from the direction of travel of the strand of sliverunder prede termined pressure.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, there is shownschematically in Figure 1 a textile machine of a type for processingtextile strands or ropes of textile material or slivers, only one ofwhich is shown and which is generally designated at S. The improved stopmotion actuating device is broadly designated at 10 and is fixed on atransverse frame member 11 grounded at 9. Spaced rearwardly from thestop motion actuating device 10 is a pair of feed rolls 12 and 13 whichare driven in opposite directions for advancing or delivering eachstrand S into and through each corresponding stop motion actuatingdevice 10.

The strand S then passes downwardly at an angle through a suitable guide14 and passes between a pair of suitably driven take-up rolls 15, 16and, in this instance, the strand of sliver S is then taken up on asuitable take-up roll 17. The rolls 15 and 16 are also in the equivalentof a coiler mechanism of usual construction which, if used, may feed thesliver S into the usual can.

The textile machine is provided with a conventional electricallyoperable stop motion which is shown schematically in Figure l in theform of a normally deenergized solenoid coil 20 which surrounds a core21 pivotally connected to an arm 22 having suitable connections thereon,not shown, for stopping the textile machine upon energization of thecoil 20. One end of solenoid coil 20 has a wire or conductor 24extending therefrom whose other end is connected to the improved stopmotion actuating device in a manner to be later described. The outer endof the coil 20 has a wire or conductor 25 extending therefrom to oneside of a secondary coil of a transformer 26 which secondary coi isgrounded at 27.

The primary coil of the transformer 26 has opposite ends of lead wiresor conductors 30, 31 connected thereto whose other ends are connected toopposite sides of a plug 32 adapted to be connected to a suitable sourceof alternating current, not shown. The stop motion heretofore describedis merely exemplary of many different types of electrically operatedstop motions and is shown by way of illustration only. The textilemachine as thus far described is of the general nature of a pin draftingmachine such as is manufactured by The Warner & Swasey Company,Cleveland 3, Ohio, but, of course, the improved stop motion actuatingdevice may be used in association with many other types of machines orany type of machine wherein one or more strands are fed through themachine and taken up as they leave the machine and wherein it is desiredthat the stop motion is actuated in the event of the weight per unitlength of the sliver S varying above or below a predetermined amount.

The improved stop motion actuating device 10 com prises a fixed member,block or housing which is preferably provided with a flange 41 on itslower portion adapted to rest upon and be secured to the frame member 11as shown in Figure 1. The flange 41 preferably has holes 42 therein(Figures 4 and 9) for the reception of screws 43 for securing thehousing 40 to the frame member 11. The housing 40 has a longitudinallyextending or substantially horizontally disposed relatively large boreor hole 44 therethrough (Figures 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9) in which the stem orshank, designated broadly at 45, of a trumpet broadly designated at 46is loosely mounted.

It should be noted that the external diameter of the shank 45 of thetrumpet 46 is substantially less than the internal diameter of the bore44 so the shank 45 may float in bore 44. The rear or ingress end of thetrumpet 46 has an enlarged head portion or flange 47 integral therewithwhich normally engages a pair of laterally spaced or substantiallydiametrically opposed detents or spring-pressed pins 50, 51 mounted forforward and rearward movement in the block 40. The detents 50, 51 arepreferably disposed slightly above the horizontal plane of the axis ofsaid trumpet 46 or on the opposite side of the plane of the axis of thetrumpet relative to the direction at which the sliver is diverted as itis drawn from the discharge end of the trumpet.

Each of the detents 50, 51 has an enlarged head portion 52 thereonmounted for longitudinal movement in a corresponding bore 53 provided inthe block or housing 40. Also disposed in each bore 53 is a compressionspring 54, one end of which engages the corresponding head portion 52and the other end of which is engaged by an adjustment screw 55threadably mounted in the block or housing 40 The medial portion of theshank 45 of the trumpet, 46 is provided with a pair of spaced peripheralgrooves, or notches 56, 57 which define an enlarged annular portion orridge 60 therebetween. The peripheral groove or notch 57 is spaced fromthe front or discharge end of the stem or shank 45 and thereby definesan enlarged annular portion 61 on the front end of the shank 45. Thetrumpet 46 has a longitudinally extending tapered bore 62 therethroughwhose large end may also be termed as the rear or ingress end and whosesmall end may also be termed as the discharge, egress or front end ofthe tapered bore 62.

When the detents 50, 51 are not abnormally depressed, it is preferablethat the front or egress end of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 issubstantially flush with the corresponding end surface of the block orhousing 40. When the sliver or strand S is under proper tension and isof proper weight or density per unit length as it passes through thetrumpet 46, the shank 45 rests upon the bottom of the bore 44, theenlarged portion 61 being held against the bottom of the bore 44, asshown in Figure 6, due to the downward movement of the strand S as itleaves the discharge end of the tapered bore 62 under proper tension.

It should be noted, therefore, that it is preferable that the strand orsliver S is diverted from a straight path as it leaves the small ordischarge end of the tapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46 so that thestrand or sliver S will normally depress a detent or plunger 64 (Figures6, 7 and 8) and maintain the enlarged portion 61 of the shank 45 againstthe bottom of the bore 44. The spring plunger or detent 64 is mountedfor vertical sliding movement in the housing 40 and has an enlargedlower or inner end portion 65 thereon which is mounted for radialsliding movement relative to the bore 44 in a bore 66 provided in thehousing 40. The enlarged portion 65 of the plunger 64 engages one end ofa compression spring 67 disposed in the bore 66 whose other end engagesa set screw or adjustment screw 70 threadably embedded in the lowerportion of the housing or block 40 as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8.

Upon the strand or sliver S becoming unduly slack or the weight per unitlength thereof dropping below a predetermined standard or upon thestrand or sliver S being parted, the detent or plunger 64 then urges theenlarged portion 61 of the shank 45 into engagement with a contactelement such as a bar, electrode or rod 71 which is partially disposedin the bore 44 and is normally spaced from the enlarged portion 61 ofthe shank 45 of the trumpet 46.

The inner portion of the electrode or contact element 71 is looselydisposed in a bore 72 provided therefor in the housing 40 therebyproviding an air insulator between the electrode 71 and housing 40,since the housing 40 is preferably made from cast iron, aluminum alloy,steel or some other electrically conductive material. The electrode orcontact element 71 extends from right to left in Figure 2 and passesthrough a substantially rectangular cavity or recess provided in oneside of the block or housing 40, and the outer end of the electrode,contact pin or contact element 71 is fixed in an insulation block orplate 74 carried by the block 40.

In this instance, the insulation block or plate 74 is fitted in asuitable recess 75 in one side of the block or housing 4-0 and thisinsulation block or plate 74 is fixed to the block 40 by any suitablemeans, such as screws 76. It will be observed in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 9that the contact pin or electrode 71 also penetrates a stationary busbar or contact strip 77 adhesively or otherwise secured to the innersurface of the insulation plate 74. The bus bar or contact strip 77extends downwardly at an angle in Figure 5 and is also penetrated by asecond contact element, electrode, contact bar or pin 80 fixed in theinsulation plate 74. It should be noted that the first pin or electrode72 is partially disposed in the bore 44 and is disposed substantiallytangent relative to the periphery of the enlarged portion 61 of theshank 45. The second electrode or contact pin 80 is disposedsubstantially radially of the axis of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46.

The second contact pin or electrode 80 extends inwardly through thecavity or recess 73 and loosely extends through an opening or bore 81provided in the block or housing 40 and the inner end of the secondelectrode 80 terminates in closely spaced relation to the periphery ofthe annular groove, recess or notch 57 in the shank 45 of the trumpet46.

Also, it will best be observed in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 that theenlarged intermediate portion 60 of the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 isnormally spaced to one side of the inner end of the second contact pinor electrode 81. The second contact pin or electrode 81 is provided foractuating the stop motion, including the solenoid coil 20 (Figure 1) inthe event of the strand or sliver S choking the tapered bore 62 orbunching therein as shown in Figure 8 and as will be more clearlydescribed later in this context.

Referring again to Figures 2, 3, 5 and 9, it will be observed that thebus bar 77 has an off-set rigid portion 82 on one end thereof which isspaced inwardly from the insulation plate 74 and is adapted to, attimes, be engaged by one end of a leaf spring contact arm, switch arm orbar 83 which end is disposed between the off-set portion 82 of the busbar 77 and the insulation plate 74. The end of the leaf spring switcharm or bar 83 is fixed to a terminal or pin 84 which pin 84 holds theswitch arm 83 against the insulation plate 74. The pin 84, which isnecessarily of electrically conductive material, is suitably fixed inthe insulation block 74 and the end of the wire 24 remote from thesolenoid coil (Figure l) is connected to the terminal or pin 84 by anysuitable means such as a screw 86 threadably embedded in the terminal84.

The outer surface of the leaf spring switch arm 83, that is, the surfaceadjacent the insulation block 74 and opposite from the extension 82 ofthe bus bar 77, is engaged by one end of an adjustment screw 87 whichthreada ably penetrates the insulation block 74. Thus, by turning theadjustment screw 87 in either direction, the corresponding end of theleft spring switch arm 83 may be moved into and out of engagement withthe extension 82 on the bus bar 77 to make or break contact between thewire 24 and the bus bar 77.

Now, it is to be understood that the discharge or egress end of thetapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46 is of a predetermined size such as topermit a sliver of a predeter-- mined weight per unit length topasstherethrough. Thus, as heretofore stated, upon the sliver S being partedor becoming unduly slack so the weight or density per unit lengththereof drops below a predetermined standard (Figure 7), the plunger 64urges the portion 61 of the trumpet shank 45 against electrode 71 toenergize the stop motion (Figure 1). The detents 50, 51 also assist theplunger 64 in rocking the trumpet v 46 to cause the stem 45 to engageelectrode 71 upon undue slackness or parting of the sliver S.

In the event of the sliver S being fed into. the large ingress end ofthe tapered bore 62 at a faster than normal rate, which would cause theweight of the sliver per unit length to be above a predeterminedstandard, the sliver then forms into a bunch or chokes the tapered bore62 in the trumpet 46 as shown in Figure 8. Of course, this exertsforward pressure on the wall of the tapered bore 62 and tends to movethe trumpet 46 forwardly to depress the detents 50, 51 against thecompression springs 54.

Now, the relative positions of the second contact pin or electrode 81and the shoulder formed at the juncture of the enlarged portion 60 andthe annular groove 57 are such that only very slight inward or forwardmovement of the trumpet 46 moves the enlarged annular portion 60 intoengagement with the contact pin or electrode 81. Since both of theelectrodes 71, 81 are connected to the bus bar 77, and the block orhousing is grounded to the machine frame, it follows, that the circuitwill then be completed to the solenoid coil 20 to thereby actuate theconventional stop motion of the machine.

It quite often happens that the increase in the weight of the sliver Sper unit length may occur only momentarily or at frequent intervals andthe operator of the textile machine may then assume that the textilemachine has stopped for some other reason than that of the increase inweight per unit length of the sliver S. As a result, it may happen thatthe machine will have been restarted several times before the, operatorwill have detected that the actual cause of the machine stoppage was theresult of enlarged places in the sliver S or an increase in the weightper unit length of the sliver S.

Therefore, in order to maintain the enlarged annular portion 60 of theshank of the trumpet 46 in engagement with the second contact pin orelectrode 81, once moved to this position by an enlarged or thick placein the strand or sliver S, the shoulder at the juncture of the enlargedportion and the annular groove 56 in the shank 45 of the trumpet 46 isengaged by a spring-pressed locking pin 90 as shown in Figure 8. Theinner end of pin 90 normally bears against the periphery of the enlargedportion 60 and is urged into the peripheral notch or groove 56 in theshank 45 of the trumpet 46 by a compression spring 91 which is disposedin a cavity or bore 92 in the block or housing 40.

The compression spring 91 also surrounds the medial portion of thelocking pin and one end thereof bears against an abutment 93 fixed tothe pin 90. The other or upper end of the compression spring 91 (Figures6, 7 and 8) bears against the lower surface of a screw or externallythreaded bushing 94 threadably mounted in the upper end of the cavity92, which screw is slidably penetrated by the locking pin 90. The upperend of the locking pin 90 has an enlarged portion or head thereon whichis preferably knurled to enable an operator to grasp the head 95 of thelocking pin 90 for releasing the locking pin 90 from engagement with theshoulder at the juncture of the enlarged portion 60 and the peripheralgroove 56 of the shank 45.

As heretofore stated, upon an abnormal amount of the sliver entering thetapered bore 62 in the trumpet 46, suflicient to cause the trumpet 46 todepress the detents 50, 51, the annular portion 60 on the shank 45 movesinto engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81 to close thecircuit to the solenoid coil 20 (Figure 1). As the enlarged portion 60moves into engagement with the second contact pin or electrode 81, thelower'end of the locking pin 90 is so spaced from the second contact pinor electrode 81 that it will drop into the notch or peripheral groove 56in the shank 45 to thereby maintain the enlarged portion 60 inengagement with the contact pin 81 until the operator again raises thelocking pin 90 in order to permit the detents 50 and 51 to again movethe trumpet 46 outwardly to operative position.

Thus, the locking pin 90 insures that the machine cannot be started whenthe enlarged portion 60 has once moved into engagement with the secondcontact pin or electrode 81. It is apparent that it is unnecessary toprovide means for locking the enlarged front end portion 61 of the shank45 in engagement with the first contact pin or electrode 71, since theshank 45. is urged against the first electrode or pin 71 by the plunger64 While, on the other hand, the detents 50 and 51 urge the enlargedportion 60 away from the second contact pin or electrode 81 imme diatelyupon a thickened place in the sliver S having passed through the trumpet46 and, of course, this is prevented by the locking pin 90 therebyinsuring that the condition of the strand or sliver S is correctedbefore the machine can again be started.

Most drafting machines, pin drafting machines in particular, processseveral strands simultaneously and one of the improved stop motionactuating devices would be used for each strand. In this instance, thewire 24 from the terminal 84 of each stop motion actuating device isconnected with the coil 20 so that, upon any one or more of the strandsvarying above or below the standard of weight per unit length for whichthe discharge end of the corresponding tapered bore 62 is designed, themachine is stopped. If, for any reason, one or more of a series of suchstop motion actuating devices is not being used, as may often be thecase, the operator merely turns the screw 87 on the corresponding stopmotion actuating device or devices so the contact arm 83 is moved out ofcontact with the extension 82 on the contact strip or bus bar 77.

Although the two electrodes 71, 81 contemplated, within the scope ofthis invention, to so position a single electrode that it will normallybe spaced from said trumpet, but will be engaged by the shank 45 uponthe weight of the sliver either greater or less than the predeterminedstandard established by the size of the egress end of the tapered bore62 and the resilient pressure exerted on the trumpet 46 by the detentsor plungers 50, 51 and 64.

To this end, the electrode 71 can extend into a peripheral groove in thestank 45 sufliciently proximate to the periphery of said groove to beengaged thereby upon the sliver S being parted or becoming undulyslackened, and one Wall of the latter groove could be so disposed as'toengage the electrode upon moving forwardly as a result are shown, it isper unit length being 7 of the sliver choking the tapered bore 62. Sincethe two electrodes 71, 81 cooperate in essentially the manner lastdescribed, a detailed illustration and description thereof is deemedunnecessary.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

We claim:

1. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breakercomprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered boretherethrough through which the silver passes and wherein the sliver iswithdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantiallyradially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which said trumpetis at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normallymaintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by theradial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of saidtapered bore, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixedelement and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpetbeing adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, and meansurging said trumpet toward said electrode whereby, upon said sliverbecoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into contact with saidelectrode to close the circuit.

2. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breakercomprising a trumpet having a substantially axial tapered boretherethrough through which the sliver passes and wherein the sliver iswithdrawn from the small end of said bore in a direction substantiallyradially of said bore, a fixed element having a cavity therein ofsubstantially greater dimensions than the trumpet and in which saidtrumpet is at least partially disposed whereby the trumpet is normallymaintained in engagement with one surface of said fixed element by theradial pull of said sliver against the corresponding surface of saidtapered bore, an electrode carried by and insulated from said fixedelement and projecting into the cavity, said electrode and said trumpetbeing adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, means urgingsaid trumpet toward said electrode whereby, upon said sliver becomingunduly slackened, the trumpet is moved into contact with said electrodeto close the circuit, and manually operable means interposed in one sideof said circuit for rendering said trumpet ineffective in closing saidcircuit when it contacts said electrode.

3. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for amachine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprisinga trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough throughwhich the sliver passes in its course between the feeding andwithdrawing means, a fixed element having a cavity therein in which saidtrumpet is at least partially loosely disposed, an electrode carried byand insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity,said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in anelectrical circuit, means urging said trumpet away from said electrodetoward the feeding means whereby, upon said sliver becoming undulyenlarged and thereby choking said tapered bore, the trumpet is movedinto contact with said electrode to close the circuit, and manuallyoperablemeans interposed in one side of said circuit for rendering saidtrumpet ineffective in closing said circuit when it contacts saidelectrode.

4. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for amachine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprisinga trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough throughwhich the sliver passes in its course between the feeding andwithdrawing means, a fiXd element haying a cavity therein in which saidtrumpet is at least partially loosely disposed, an electrode carried byand insulated from said fixed element and projecting into the cavity,said electrode and said trumpet being adapted to be interposed in anelectrical circuit, means urging said trumpet away from said electrodetoward the feeding means whereby, upon said sliver becoming undulyenlarged and thereby choking said tapered bore, the trumpet is movedinto contact with said electrode to close the circuit, and manuallyreleasable means for maintaining the trumpet in contact with saidelectrode upon such contact initially being established.

5. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for amachine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprisinga trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough throughwhich the sliver passes in its course between said feeding andwithdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small endof said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixedelement having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions thanthe trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposedwhereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with onesurface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver againstthe corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact meanscarried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into thecavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted tobe interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging theend of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contactmeans under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging thetrumpet toward the feeding means under predetermined pressure whereby,upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved intoengagement with said contact means to close the circuit, and saidcontact means being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet uponsaid sliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to causethe trumpet to move away from the feeding means against said secondresilient means.

6. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for amachine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprisinga trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough throughwhich the sliver passes in its course between said feeding andwithdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small endof said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixedelement having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions thanthe trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposedwhereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with onesurface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver againstthe corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact meanscarried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into thecavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted tobe interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging theend of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contactmeans under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging thetrumpet toward the feeding means under predetermined pressure whereby,upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved intoengagement with said contact means to close the circuit, said contactmeans being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet upon saidsliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to cause thetrumpet to move away from the feeding means against said secondresilient means, and manually operable means interposed in one side ofsaid circuit for rendering said trumpet ineffective in closing saidcircuit when it engages said contact means.

7. An improved textile-sliver-controlled circuit maker and breaker for amachine having means for feeding and withdrawing said sliver comprisinga trumpet having a substantially axial tapered bore therethrough throughwhich the sliver passes in its course between said feeding andwithdrawing means and wherein the sliver is withdrawn from the small endof said bore in a direction substantially radially of said bore, a fixedelement having a cavity therein of substantially greater dimensions thanthe trumpet and in which said trumpet is at least partially disposedwhereby the trumpet is normally maintained in engagement with onesurface of said fixed element by the radial pull of said sliver againstthe corresponding surface of said tapered bore, electrical contact meanscarried by and insulated from said fixed element and projecting into thecavity, said electrical contact means and said trumpet being adapted tobe interposed in an electrical circuit, first resilient means urging theend of said trumpet adjacent the withdrawing means toward said contactmeans under predetermined pressure, second resilient means urging thetrumpet toward the feeding meansunder predetermined pressure whereby,upon said sliver becoming unduly slackened, the trumpet is moved intoengagement with said contact means to close the circuit, said contactmeans being so arranged as to be engaged by said trumpet upon saidsliver becoming enlarged and thereby choking the trumpet to cause thetrumpet to move away from the feeding means against said secondresilient means, and manually releasable means for maintaining saidtrumpet in engagement with said contact means upon said such engagementbeing initially established by said movement of the trumpet against thesecond resilient means away from said feeding means.

8. An improved stop motion actuating device for a P machine having meansfor feeding and withdrawing a strand of fibrous material, said devicecomprising a housing having a longitudinal extending bore therethrough,a trumpet having a shank of substantially less diameter than said boredisposed within said bore, said trumpet having a tapered longitudinallyextending bore therethrough and into the large end of which said strandof fibrous material is fed and wherein said strand is withdrawn from thesmall end of said tapered bore in the trumpet at an angle relative tothe axis of said tapered bore, resilient means urging the end of saidtrumpet adjacent the small end of said tapered bore away from thedirection in which strand is diverted as it leaves the small end of saidtapered bore, second resilient means normally urging said trumpet towardthe feeding means, electrical contact means carried by said housing,said contact means being disposed adjacent the periphery of the shankand substantially diametrically opposite said first resilient means,said shank having at least one enlarged intermediate portion normallyspaced toward said feeding means relative to said electrical contactmeans, whereby a strand of uniform size passing through the tapered borein the trumpet normally maintains the trumpet out of engagement withsaid contact means and, upon the size of the strand dropping below apredetermined minimum, the first resilient means will move the peripheryof the shank into engagement with the contact means and, upon the sizeof the strand increasing above a predetermined maximum, the enlargedportion on the shank will move into engagement with the contact means.

9. An improved stop motion actuating device comprising a housing havinga longitudinally extending bore therethrough, a trumpet having a shankof substantially less diameter than said bore disposed within said bore,said trumpet having av tapered longitudinally extending boretherethrough and into the large end of which a strand of fibrousmaterial is adapted to pass and wherein said strand is withdrawn fromthe small end of said tapered bore in the trumpet at an angle relativeto the axis of said tapered bore, resilient means urging the end of saidtrumpet adjacent the small end of said tapered bore away from thedirection in which strand is diverted as it leaves the small end of saidtapered bore, second resilient means normally urging said trumpet towardthe direction from whence the strand is moving as it enters said taperedbore in the trumpet, a first and a second electrode, said firstelectrode being disposed adjacent the periphery of the shank andsubstantially diametrically opposite said first resilient means, saidshank having at least one peripheral groove intermediate its endsdefining an enlarged intermediate portion normally spaced adjacent oneend of said second electrode and toward the large end of said taperedbore, whereby a strand of uniform size passing through the tapered borein the trumpet normally maintains the trumpet out of engagement witheither of said electrodes and, upon the size of the strand droppingbelow a predetermined minimum, the first resilient means will move theperiphery of the shank into engagement with the first electrode and,upon the size of the strand increasing above a predetermined maximum,the enlarged portion on the shank will move into engagement with thesecond electrode.

10. In a structure according to claim 9, an insulation plate fixed tosaid housing and to which said electrodes are secured, a metallic busbar connected to said electrodes, a terminal spaced from said bus barand said electrodes and fixed in said plate and having means forsecuring a conductor thereto, a leaf spring contact member fixed to saidterminal and normally biased away from said bus bar, and a hand screwthreadably mounted in said plate for moving said leaf spring contactmember into and out of engagement with said bus bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS876,349 Hathaway Jan. 14, 1908 1,117,489 Hathaway Nov. 17, 19142,636,223 De Santis et al Apr. 28, 1953 2,645,822 Cabana July 21, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 5,125 Great Britain of 1903

